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Harnessing the Internet to upgrade your movie collection now has the green light as major portals such as KTH and SK Communications are partnering with movie companies allowing their users to download movies online. Some people are still using P2P sites to share movie files, but that violates copyright laws.
Plenty of movie streaming services exist today enabling you to watch a movie online, though superior movie download services remain in their infancy. KTH introduced its download options earlier this month giving users the opportunity to save movies to their PC hard drives or portable media player via Paran's VOD site. As of today 110 new titles are available with more joining the line-up each week. The deal offers unlimited downloads for W10,000 (US$1=W920) a month, with a pay per movie option also up for grabs at W2,500 a hit.
SK Communications is partnering with Warner Home Video Korea in January next year to offer downloadable movies and TV dramas for users through Cyworld and nate.com. Big movie titles and popular soaps like Friends, ER, Superman Returns and Harry Potter will be available first for W2,000 per TV drama episode and W7,000 per movie.
Price varies depending on storage method
Though both SK Communications(CyWorld) and KTH(Paran) offer downloadable movies viewable on PCs and PMPs, payees can view the film for just seven days in Paran service whereas they can have the downloaded film for an indefinite period in CyWorld service. It¡¯s just like buying a DVD, with prices at Paran one third of CyWorld¡¯s. If you¡¯re inclined to watch a movie just once then Paran is your choice, but If you enjoy multiple viewings then CyWorld would be your preferred service.
One KTH employee said, ¡°There will be a big change in the video contents market where illegal downloading of contents is rampant through P2P sites, and we will push the newest releases and diversify the services.¡± An SK Communications representative said, ¡°By using cutting-edge marketing techniques and expanding our collaborations with distribution companies, we are confident we can make the download movie industry thrive.¡±
Nowcom also has aligned itself with film importer Cinehill and begun trial service, enabling users to download movies through Clubbox.
Movie downloads doing well in the U.S.
In the U.S. big players like Apple and Amazon.com are already affiliated with some 30 film distribution companies to provide downloads of TV shows and movies. Within Apple¡¯s iTunes service one episode of a TV show costs around W2,000. Microsoft has its Xbox Live service for game consoles, offerings download serves for programs from CBS, MTV, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Episodes taken from the site can be viewed only through an Xbox however. Embedded protection also prevents users from burning contents to DVD, though you can play a movie stored on your Xbox at any compatible venue.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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